Folding cot



J. H. DYETT.

FOLDING COT.

APPLICATioN FILED sEPT.29.1917.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

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UNITED STATES v"I'AMESIL DYETT, OI BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AYSSIGYNOB TO HARD MANUFACTURING CO.,

PATENT OFFICE.

0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

.romaine com.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES H. DvE'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in' the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Cots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to folding or camp cots or bedsof the sort which are used in the army and comprise a bed bottom formed by a piece of canvas or other suitable fabric or material, and a supporting frame therefor which is adapted to be folded into a compact bundle, of a length substantially one-half thatof the cot 1n which the side rails and legs of the cotall lie substantially parallel close to each other.

The object of thisinvention is to produce a folding cot or bed of this type in which the frame is composed of metal tubes or pipes which are arranged and connected .so as to insure an especially strong and rigid cot or bed, but which is nevertheless adapted to be'folded into a compact bundle as stated, and is of simple, light and inexpensive construction.

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevation, a plan View and an end elevation of a folding cot or bed embodying the invention.

Fig. 4 isan enlarged view of the frame folded, the bottom fabric being omitted to avoid confusion.

Fig. 5 is 'an end elevation of the cot showing the same partially collapsed with the side rails close together. i

Fig. 6 is a section on an enlarged scale, on

line 6-6, Fig. 1, showing the connection be-v tween one of the end legs and the side rails.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of said connection partially folded.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section showing the connection between one of the intermedi' The cot or bed-frame comprises two side rails each composed of two sections 1 and 2 which are connected so as to fold over one specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 23', 1920 Application mea september 29,1917. smal No. 193,912.

legs of each pair are pivoted to each other e between their ends to assume a substantially X form when in supportin position. The sections 1 and 2 of the si erails, the end rails and the legs are all preferably formed of metal ipes or tubes. 4 is the bottom fabric. T is is provided at its side edges be-y tween the end and middle legs with pockets or hems 4 through which the side rail sectlons extend and' at its ends with pockets orhems 4b' through which the end rails eX- tend for stretching vor holding the bottom fabric in supporting position on the frame.

The two sections 1 and 2 of each side rail are pivoted near their adjacent ends to a Tfhead 6 on the upper'end of one leg of the intermediate pair of legs 5, 5. This head 6, see Fig. 8, preferably consists of a malleable castin having a socket 7 in which the upper end o the tubular leg 5 is rigidly secured in any suitable manner, and parallel spaced side plates 8 between which the sections 1 and 2 of the side rails are suitably pivoted, as by rivets or pins 9. The end portions of the side rail sections 1 and 2, when in alined supporting position extend toward each other between the side plates of the head.

`bear flat against the inner faces of the sides of the head 6I of the leg substantially throughout the length of the head. The side rail sections thus,x have flat bearin s ofI o0n siderable area agamst the sides o the head 6 and the sections are thus held rigidly in alinement and prevented from twisting in the headon their pivots. The upper end of each leg tube 5 also preferably extends up through the socket 7 into the space between the sides ofthe head 6 and is concaved, as shown at 11, to lform a seat -for the convex under sides of the inner ends of the side rail sections. This aids the sides of the head in holding the side rail sections rigidly in alinement. The ends of the side rail sections can practically abut against each other with out interfering with their folding movement, since the ends are hollow and one end can swing inthe cavity of the o ther end when holding the sections as indicated in Fig. 8.

L112 represents heads rigidly secured on the upper ends of the legs 13 of the end pairs of legs and hinged to the end portions of the 'siderails to permit the legs to be folded from the supporting position shown in Figs.

l 1-3, over tothe folded position shown in F ig.'4, in which the legs lie substantially parallel with the upper. faces of the sidel ra'il sections., Each of the heads 12 preferably consists of a malleable casting having a socket 14 in which the upper end of the leg tube is rigidly secured, vas by a rlvet 15,

or otherwise, and two parallel spaced sidel plates 16 which straddle andy are suitably pivoted, as by a rivet 17, to the end portion of the side rail section. The side plates of the heads 12 extend from the upper ends of the legs toward the ends of the side rails, so that when the .legs are in the supporting position the side plates of the head embrace the opposite sides of the side rail sections for a considerable distance and permit the legs to swing around the ends of the side rails from their supporting position to their folded position. The end portions of the side rails are preferably pressed out of circular shape or flattened at opposite sides, as shown at'18, Fig. 6, so that when the `legs are in supporting position the sides 16 of the heads 12 will bear substantially through-` out their length flat against the opposite sides of the side rails. The upper ends of the tubular legs also preferably extend up through the sockets 14 between the sides of the heads 12. and are provided with concaved seats 19 adapted to engage the convex undersides of the side rails, as before explained in connection with the middle legs.`

This construction, while permitting the free swinging of the legs from their supporting to their folded position insures a very rigid and strong connection between the legs and the rails which prevents any lateral swaying motion or twisting of the side rails relative to the legs and prevents excessive pressure of the side rails on the heads which would otherwise act to distort or bend the heads whereby the rails would sag or be Fig. 5. The bent or intermediate parts of the legs of each pair are also preferably Hattened or pressed out of round, as shown in Fig. 10, thus providing substantially flat faces 21 which bear against each other.

These flatfaces bearing against each otherl Each of the end rails 3 of the frame pref- \.erably consists of a straight metal tube or pipe providednear its opposite ends with holes 23a adapted to receive pins or studs 23 projecting out from the ends of the side rails. These pins orpstuds can be formed on plugs 24 rigidly secured in any suitable manner in the ends of the side rails or can be otherwise formed on or secured to the side rails. In setting up the cot for use the end rails are slipped through pockets or hems 4b at the ends of the canvas or other bed bottom fabric or material and are then secured in place at the ends of the side rails by engaging the pins or studs on the side rails in the holes in the end rails. The bottom fabric is made of such length that it is necessary to stretch it taut in order to engage the end rails on the ends of the side rails. The bed bottom or canvas strip thus draws the end rails toward each other and holds them frml in place on the studs on the side rails. n folding the cot the end rails are first disengaged `from the studs at the ends of the side rails and are then slipped out of the hems or pockets at the ends of the bed bottom fabric. The cot frame can then be folded, the bottom fabric remaining in place on the side rails and being` folded with the frame.

o fold the cot the end and intermediate legs are collapsed or swun on their pivots to bring the opposite si e rails close together, as shown in Fig. 5. The end legs can then be swung around the ends of the side rails from thelr supporting positions to positions substantially parallel with and at the upper sides of the side rails and the sections 1 and 2 of the side rails can be folded downwardly to opposite sides of the intermediate pair of legs substantially parallel therewith. The legs and side rail sections will then all occupy positions close to ether and substantially parallel as shown in lig. 4.

I claim as my invention 1. In a folding cot, a two-section side rail, a supporting leg therefor, a single-piece metallic head for said leg, pivots connecting the sections of said side rail with said head whereby in open position of the cot adjacent ends of the rail sections abut and present a continuous rail member, said le extendin into said head and supporting t e abutting ends of said rail sections, said rail section ends being seated upon and completely covering the entire upper end of said leg.

2. In' a folding cot, a folding frame comprising side rails,` crossed supporting legs therefor, a single-piece metal head for each of said legs comprising;r a socket in which the upper portion of the leg fits and is rigidly secured and spaced side plates which are integral With and extending from the socket parallel With and straddle one of said side rails, said side railsi having Hat faces which bear against flat faces on said side plates of the heads, said legs extending up through said sockets and terminating in said heads and above said sockets in concave ends in which the side rails are seated, and pivots connecting said side plates to said side rails t0 permit the legs to fold relatively to the side rails.

Witness my hand this 25th day of September, 1917.

JAMES H. DYETT.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. TALBoYs, JOHN E. KRUGER. 

